Al Qaeda looks at its lessons learned in Afghanistan
"For the first time, a senior al-Qaida official has provided an assessment of the U.S. war against the terrorist group in Afghanistan, criticizing its communications security and while also claiming that some in the Taliban provided intelligence to coalition forces that resulted in the deaths of al-Qaida members and their families.
". . .The critique is carried in a magazine called The Voice of Jihad (Sawt Jihad), parts of which were published this week in Sharq al-Awsat, a respected Saudi newspaper, and translated by the U.S. intelligence community.
". . .According to the al-Qaida version of the war, the terror group hastened its own defeat.
"Al-Adil said reckless use of satellite phones and betrayal by 'some Taliban elements' permitted American forces to easily pinpoint the 'Arab Afghans' — al-Qaida’s Afghan-based fighters — in Kandahar during October and November of 2001.
". . .Among those killed as a result of the lapses in security was Mohammed Atef, also known as Abu Hafs, al-Adil’s predecessor as military commander of al-Qaida, and several other al-Qaida leaders along with their wives and children.
"Al-Adil described how cruise missiles and U.S. military aircraft, apparently helicopters, tracked down and killed carloads of al-Qaida operatives and their families and almost killed him one night in October 2001.
". . .Regarding the deaths of al-Qaida family members, again al-Adil says it was the result of a security breach.
"'Aircraft were following the vehicles [all of which were Toyota Corollas, long known to be an al-Qaida favorite] and the brothers stopped to talk a little before moving toward the village. The helicopters engaged them as soon as the distance between them got down to 5.1 kilometers [3.2 miles],' al-Adel wrote."
"For the first time, a senior al-Qaida official has provided an assessment of the U.S. war against the terrorist group in Afghanistan, criticizing its communications security and while also claiming that some in the Taliban provided intelligence to coalition forces that resulted in the deaths of al-Qaida members and their families.
". . .The critique is carried in a magazine called The Voice of Jihad (Sawt Jihad), parts of which were published this week in Sharq al-Awsat, a respected Saudi newspaper, and translated by the U.S. intelligence community.
". . .According to the al-Qaida version of the war, the terror group hastened its own defeat.
"Al-Adil said reckless use of satellite phones and betrayal by 'some Taliban elements' permitted American forces to easily pinpoint the 'Arab Afghans' — al-Qaida’s Afghan-based fighters — in Kandahar during October and November of 2001.
". . .Among those killed as a result of the lapses in security was Mohammed Atef, also known as Abu Hafs, al-Adil’s predecessor as military commander of al-Qaida, and several other al-Qaida leaders along with their wives and children.
"Al-Adil described how cruise missiles and U.S. military aircraft, apparently helicopters, tracked down and killed carloads of al-Qaida operatives and their families and almost killed him one night in October 2001.
". . .Regarding the deaths of al-Qaida family members, again al-Adil says it was the result of a security breach.
"'Aircraft were following the vehicles [all of which were Toyota Corollas, long known to be an al-Qaida favorite] and the brothers stopped to talk a little before moving toward the village. The helicopters engaged them as soon as the distance between them got down to 5.1 kilometers [3.2 miles],' al-Adel wrote."
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